Integrated Step Sequencer

Sonar 7â€™s new dedicated Step Sequencer features up to 16 steps per beat with 64 beats per pattern; support for odd time signatures; a powerful “Fit Pattern to Quarters” control that fits patterns into lengths of any number of quarter notes for creation of polyrhythmic parts (5 against 4 rhythms, hemiolas, septuplets, etc.); control velocity offset and scale values in an entire row all at once; MIDI controller automation drawing; step ties; monophonic/polyphonic toggle switch; global portamento toggle switch with time control; swing and articulation controls. The sequencer’s integration with advanced Drum Mapping and MIDI routing provides capabilities for simultaneously triggering sounds from different instruments from the same step sequencerâ€”perfect for working with complex or layered drum kit setups with sounds sourced from different instruments.

Smart MIDI Tools

Smart MIDI Tools enhances Sonarâ€™s MIDI editing by providing users with a powerful and customizable workflow innovation. Users are given three tools which can each be configured to perform multiple operations to suit their editing style. Out of the box, Sonar provides three preconfigured Smart MIDI Tools; the default tool can be used to draw, select, erase, and edit notes and controllers. Users can create their own Smart MIDI Tool presets by selecting from 20 different mouse actions and assigning them to edit functions such as slip-editing and transposition, and new MIDI editing features including split, glue, event mute, and drag quantize. Users are also given control over specific edit behavior: change the way draw and erase works, itâ€™s all user-definable. Custom Smart MIDI Tool assignments can be saved as presets and apply to both the Piano Roll View and the Inline Piano Roll. Sonar 7 also includes presets that match MIDI operations in other popular applications such as Logic, Cubase, and Digital Performer for customers who are switching to Sonar from these applications.

Z3TA+ 1.5 â€” is a Waveshaping Synthesizer. It is a analog-style synthesizer with sound shaping capabilities. The exclusive band-limited Waveshaping technology is oriented to the professional musician and sound programmer looking for uncompromised sound quality and features.

Dimension LE â€” is a special version of the acclaimed Dimension Pro instrument from Cakewalk. Dimension LE features over 400 sound programs, ranging from real bass, organ and electric piano samples to synth sounds and rhythmic grooves. In addition, you get the special edition of the Garritan Pocket Orchestra, expressively programmed for Dimension LE, featuring orchestral instrument libraries of strings, brass, woodwinds, keyboards, and percussion sounds. Dimension LE is powered by Cakewalk’s Expression Engine providing several types of synthesis capabilities including multi-sample rendering, wavetable synthesis, waveguide synthesis, and REX playback and manipulation.

Rapture LE â€” this special version of the award winning Rapture synthesizer from Cakewalk makes its debut in Sonar 7. It includes over 200 programs and hundreds of oscillator shapes. Capable of producing rich, hypnotic, and rhythmic basses, leads, and pads, Rapture LE is perfect for performing and designing the modern synthesized sounds igniting todayâ€™s pop, dance, and electronic music.

DropZone â€” is a drag & drop sampler and REX loop Editor. Just drop in a sample and the loop points and slices are visually displayed. It has a keyboard display to show sample key mapping; 300 MB of samples including pads & atmospheres, basses, pianos, drum kits, Dance & Hip Hop REX loops, and hundreds of wavetables.

Internal Plug-in Sidechaining â€” Leveraging Sonar’s Universal Bus Architecture framework, Sonar now supports internal multi-input plug-in support with the Sonitus:fx Compressor, Sonitus:fx Gate, VC-64 Vintage Channel, and all sidechain compliant VST processors such as those available from Voxengo and Sonalksis.

External Hardware Inserts â€” Sonar now provides seamless integration of external hardware effect processors and MIDI instruments with latencies automatically measured and compensated through Sonar’s plug-in delay compensation (PDC). When using External Inserts, users have control over send and receive port assignments, send phase invert, as well as automatable send and return gain trim (+/-24dB). All parameters can be saved in presets. With Sonar’s new Real-time Bounce, Export and Freeze options, you can use External Inserts in your projects through all phases of production. Freeze tracks that use External Inserts at any time to permanently capture the processing of your favorite outboard gear and instrumentsâ€”perfect for collaboration with other studios that may not have your particular outboard hardware.

High bandwidth recording and large project optimizations â€” Users can now record longer projects with support for 2+ GB Sony Wave-64 files. Sonar has also been optimized for high-bandwidth multitrack recording.

Cakewalk Publisher 2.0 â€” Integrated Cakewalk Publisher presents an innovative new tool to publish and present music online. Cakewalk Publisher provides a fast and easy way to create a customized, online, streaming music player and playlists that can then be directly uploaded from Sonar to band websites, and hosted on MySpace and other Internet sites.

File Recovery Mode â€” Sonar 7 significantly enhances the “safe mode” functionality first introduced in Sonar 5. Now known as File Recovery Mode, this activates a more aggressive data recovery mechanism when a damaged project file is detected.

Integrated CD Ripping and Burning â€” Now you can import audio from CD directly into a Sonar project and burn multiple tracks to audio CDs right from within the application.